What if Hermione had never been there?
by Yoda
Summary: 'A huge explosion sent them all flying...' Lying in hospital Harry and Ron are on vigil to Hermione, who's fighting a battle for her life. Please R/R, I'm quite pleased with this one...*COMPLETE*


What if Hermione had never been there

**What if Hermione had never been there?**

Disclaimer: Harry Potter, his friends, enemies and all respective items and characters (beasts or beings) from the novels and novellas of J. K. Rowling are hers by moral right and legal copyright. All new creations are my own fictions by moral right.

'Oi, dozy, we've got Herbology in five minutes!' Ron Weasley's voice rang across the Gryffindor common room as Harry Potter was slowly nodding off over his Divination work. 'C'mon or we'll be late, Hermione's got a head start on us as well.' Harry gave a small groan as he allowed his best friend to pull him out of the comfortable chair he was in.

'I'm not sure who I'd rather face for being late,' Harry mumbled, 'an angry Professor Sprout or an angry Hermione Granger.' Ron laughed at his grumpy companion, Hermione was their best friend, the smartest, and admittedly bossiest, student at Hogwarts Academy. They had always complained about each other in the past, and had rarely ever been apart.

'Could be worse, at least we did the homework.'

'Yeah, thanks for the reminder.' During Professor Sprout's homework Harry had been bitten by a Doxy while trimming back a Tentacula. Even now his right hand was covered in a great bandage that masked the severe laceration and venom spots.

'Are you two done yet?' they had just climbed through the entrance hole and swung back the Fat Lady when they noticed Hermione leaning against the wall.

'Thought you'd gone on ahead.' Ron replied as the trio set off together.

'I don't always have to be first,' she retorted, 'just as I'm not last.' With this she pulled a pouting face that became a smile as they all erupted into laughter. Despite their best efforts Harry and Ron couldn't avoid turning up first with Hermione and met Professor Sprout outside.

'Greenhouse Four today, I've got some new Tentaculas to trim, sorry Harry,' she added at seeing his unhappy look. With a small amount of giggling the trio headed for the greenhouse while Professor Sprout waited for the rest of the class. As they arrived Harry felt a sudden pain and instinctively reached for his hand which had been hurting for the past few days as the venom exited his body. It was when he felt nothing there that he realised his scar was hurting once again, just as Hermione reached for the door.

BANG

With a large explosion Greenhouse Four exploded in a ball of fire sending Harry, Ron and Hermione flying and Professor Sprout ducking under the noise. Harry felt his body flying even though he'd been on the periphery of the blast, and with a thump he hit the wall of the castle, hard. Black spots were flying before is eyes when he saw Ron, bleeding profusely from his forehead shouting, Harry couldn't hear and reaching up he felt blood trickle onto his hand. Instead he turned with great effort to see what Ron was staring at, Hermione was slumped against the wall like Harry, but she was unconscious with blood flowing from a pulsing head wound, her ears and her mouth. With effort Harry began to shuffle towards her, he noticed Ron collapse and turned to see Professor Sprout and the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff students running over, then darkness overtook him.

***

Darkness.

_Hermione Granger…wake up, your friends need you._

'Huh?'

_Wake up._

'I am awake.'

_Not awake enough, look around. Suddenly Hermione found herself in a whirl of colours and with a brilliant blue flash she was on the Hogwarts Express._

'Erm…how did I get here.'

_Watch._

'They're all saying Harry Potter is down here…So it's you is it,' said Malfoy, 'my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy.' Ron sniggered and Hermione realised suddenly how young they all looked.

'What's going on?' she asked.

_They are experiencing life without you. A howl attracted Hermione's attention and she saw Scabbers go flying as Goyle grabbed his bleeding knuckle, Draco gave Harry and Ron a sneer then pulled out his wand._

'_Furnunculi' he cried and Harry gave a cry when he found himself covered in hex marks. With a yell Ron leapt forward and punched Malfoy hard on the nose which floored the boy, and with looks of confusion Crabbe and Goyle ran out, allowing Ron to shove Malfoy into the hall. He turned back and found Harry covered in boils, at which point Hermione pulled out her wand and utter the reverse charm…nothing happened._

'Just what the hell is going on?' she said.

_You're dying._

***

Harry awoke gasping and was immediately relieved to see Ron, head bandaged and with a bruise down his side, sitting beside his bed. However Ron's attention was not directed towards Harry, but to the still form of Hermione who was in the neighbouring bed. Harry tried to speak but found his voice had choked up, then bustling hands had pulled up his pillow and gently forced him back against it. Redirecting his eyes Harry saw Madam Pomfrey the school nurse, and obviously seeing the panic in his face, she produced a card and as she spoke words appeared:

**Hermione is in a coma, she was hit much harder than you.**

'Why can't I hear?' Harry asked, and was surprised to hear his own voice very loudly, but still couldn't hear Madam Pomfrey as she dictated another sentence:

**Your eardrums burst, I'm repairing them but it will take a while, Ron was least hurt, just a scratch and bruising. Hermione's worse Harry, I don't know if…if I can save her.**

Her eyes were watering as she said this and quickly her face turned away. Harry turned his head to watch his friends, Ron had now completely broken down and was sobbing as he held onto Hermione's pale hand, slowly she breathed and with a sudden lurch Harry found himself fading into unconsciousness again.

***

'What do you mean I'm dying?'

_Do you remember the explosion? You were put into a coma and are experiencing problems in most of you major organs, I don't know if Madam Pomfrey can save you._

'Who-who are you?'

_Your guardian angel. With this a figure appeared beside her and the Express disappeared and the darkness returned. __I can save you in only one way, I must show you how your friends depend on you._

'How can you save me by removing me from my life?'

_I don't know exactly, but I believe that you must want to go back_

'I want to go now.'

_You're just saying that._

'Says who.'

_Your heart, I can sense all your feelings and lies, now the next event. With another whirl of colour Hermione found herself in the first Transfiguration lesson that they had ever attended. Professor McGonagall had just transfigure her desk into a pig and the whole class were now eagerly prodding at matchsticks. Hermione felt a jolt when she realised there was no one in her seat and was even more shocked when Ron cried out loud as his matchstick turned into a needle that stabbed into the desk. 'ExcellentMr. Weasley' said McGonagall, 'see how the stick is all shiny and pointy class?'_

'That was me…' Hermione whispered. 'Why could he do it now?'

_He was distracted by you before, there's now such worry for him now._

'I didn't worry them, they're my friends.' The reply was snappy and annoyed.

_You doubt it then? Once again the lights whirled and Hermione felt herself moving._

***

Harry awoke again to find Professor Dumbledore resting on his bed, Ron was now asleep in the bed on Harry's right and Hermione was still softly breathing on his left. 'She's dying, isn't she sir.'Harry's strangled voice gave him a statement not a question.

'You're right Harry, it seems only she can save herself now.' Dumbledore was pensive in his posture and answer, 'I won't lie to you Harry, I don't think she will survive, but never underestimate Miss Granger is my philosophy. I am happy to see you are recovering, I would have come earlier but I was investigating the explosion.'

'Voldemort.' Again it was a statement not a question. Dumbledore nodded his head sagely, and returned to sitting silently as Harry lapsed into sudden unconsciousness again.

***

'I don't believe it.' Hermione was close to tears after seeing their first ever Potions lesson, where Harry had answered all three of Snape's questions. 'Are you saying that I'm the reason for all their failings?'

_Sure you want to go back now? The bright blue light flashed again and she found herself outside the door where Fluffy was guarding the Philosopher's stone. She was surprised to see just Ron and Harry, Neville wasn't there. __He didn't break his arm with Harry standing beside him smiling you know._

'Stop looking into my thoughts.' She was watching Harry and Ron panicking as they struggled with the door. Unsurprisingly they couldn't get it open by the time a puffing Argus Filch had appeared, and with a manic glee about him he placed the two boys in detention. 'How is that my fault.'

_Alohomora._

'You know, you're really starting to annoy me.'

***

It was morning the next time Harry awoke, and once again a bandaged Ron was sitting in between his and Hermione's beds, with tears threatening to spill from his face. 'Hey', Harry managed, and Ron turned with a glum look about him, 'she's gonna make it, we'll help her.' Ron nodded but Harry saw he looked how he felt, the situation was hopeless, how could they cure what even Madam Pomfrey could not. Harry felt a wave of giddiness and slowly lowered himself back down in his bed, he didn't fade out this time, but just lay there, thinking of the past.

***

Harry and Ron were now walking alone in the Forbidden Forest, 'This is wrong, they shouldn't be alone.' Hermione had barely completed the sentence when two jets of light shot out of the dark and knocked the boys backwards into the bushes, with a roar Hermione saw Hagrid charge forwards and he too was hit by a beam. Hermione's heart jolted as the slithering form of Quirrel came forward, and then rapidly disappeared as a centaur burst through the bushes, but nothing could be done for the boys or Hagrid.

_You killed them. The voice was now harsh, __of course they could have died differently. The floor shifted and Hermione found herself in the first room below Fluffy on the way to the Philosopher's stone. With a thud Harry and Ron landed in the Devil's Snare which wound its way around them both, and within seconds they were both choking for oxygen._

'Stop, now.' Hermione was crying now as Ron's face turned blue, but suddenly Harry had his wand out and was scything apart the deadly plant with red beams.

_They don't need you, see how they escaped by themselves, you forgot everything and they nearly died._

'Shut up.' Hermione's whole body was trembling as she watched Harry and Ron advance through the door.

_Let's go on ahead._

***

Harry and Ron had manoeuvred themselves so that they were both holding onto one of Hermione's hands. 'Wake up Herm,' Harry whispered, 'you've had your fun, we want you back.'

'Come on Hermione, we need you.' Ron was now whispering, both were holding tight onto her hands while her breathing remained in the same passive state as before.

***

_Damn. Harry and Ron's voices had projected into the final room where Harry and Ron had just fought of Quirrel and had given the Philosopher's Stone to Dumbledore as he had flown in._

'What was that?' Hermione asked in her quavering voice. 'That was Harry and Ron.'

_Hopelessness actually. You know you don't want to go back. They don't need you. The voice was driving into her head. __Just die, you'd do everyone a favour Hermione. The room faded into the darkness Hermione had awoke in._

'Who are you?' Hermione had stopped crying and her voice was returning to normal. 'You're not my guardian angel, that's for damn sure.'

_Remember what I said when you woke up?_

'My friends need me.'

_I was right, they do need you,and I just had to prove it to you. Follow your heart, and give Harry my love. The white figure had turned into a woman with vivid green eyes that Hermione instantly recognised. __You're a good friend for him to have, you were there for him but you never realised it before, wake up Hermione._

***

'We love you Hermione, please just come back.' Harry had tears in his eyes as he continued whispering while Ron just held Hermione's hands. With a sudden gasp her eyes snapped open and she gagged for breath. 'MADAM POMFREY' Harry yelled so loud that Ron jumped up out of his seat, and was quickly replaced by the school nurse as she held a brew beneath Hermione whose eyes were wide and breaths deep.

'Good to be back,' she managed and then collapsed under the influence of the brew.

***

_You saved her then._

_Yes._

_Harry and Ron are lucky._

_More than they realise, she's saved them so many times._

_Did we do the right thing?_

_He's our son, he doesn't deserve another loss._

_True, I just hope Voldemort realises what he's up against now._

_Why?_

_It'll scare the hell out of him._

***

Hermione woke again at about ten in the evening and heard the soft snores of Ron and Harry's light breathing, it was relaxing, but she was jolted when he spoke; 'Welcome back.'

'You scared me.'

'I scared you! What did you do to us then?' Harry gave a soft chuckle as he saw Hermione grin sheepishly in the moonlight. 'How did you come back?'

'I wanted to, and I followed my heart.' She smiled to herself as she thought of Lily Potter, 'I also had some help from you.'

'How?'

'I never realised how much you two needed me, I was always doing work or reading, but I never focused on you as much as I could. I saw…I saw your mum and she brought me back.'

'Mum?'

'She gives you her love and says we are friends forever, that's what brought me back, she showed me what would have happened if I wasn't here, you probably wouldn't be here.' Hermione paused but couldn't go on, Harry too was in deep thought.

'Thank you for coming back,' he managed after a few minutes, 'try not to leave again, we do need you, as a friend and as anything else.' With this he turned over and fell asleep, content and warm inside. Hermione slowly raised herself up to look over her best friends in the moonlight and as her head slowly dipped she managed one last sentence.

'I love you too.'

A/N: I hope you like my final contribution for a while, I always imagined what would have happened had Hermione not gotten Harry into the final chamber, who would have and how? This is an interesting slant on things that I hope to produce in some other pieces. Hope you enjoyed it, please read and review.

PS: Any good luck wishes for my A-levels would be appreciated! (aren't I the cheeky one!)


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